


The Best Part of Raising Up the Dead

by hisloss



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Multi, Older Demigods AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-28 01:21:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8425213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hisloss/pseuds/hisloss
Summary: The barista probably smiles like that at everyone. There's no way he's interested in Nico.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Best Part of Raising Up the Dead](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/238498) by also me. 



He chose Edna’s because it was immediately across the street from the morgue, but as he crossed the street, shoving his ice cold hands into his pockets, the dim lighting and dark aesthetic of the place only highlighted by warm copper accents lifted his sunken spirits. Aside from a couple in one corner, he was the only guest. The menu was straightforward. Nico relaxed, his thin frame releasing the shadows he seemed to carry around with him. From his back pocket his took out his wallet, checking that he had cash. The barista hadn’t even acknowledged him, too busy bent over a thick textbook. Nico resisted the urge to glare him to attention.

 

A clatter of baking sheets from the kitchen made him glance up and Nico took half a step back, startled into blushing. The guy had the greenest eyes he’d ever seen. He smiled warmly and pushed his textbook aside.

 

 _Gods_ , Nico cursed to himself, _does he smile like that at everyone?_

 

“What can I get you?”

 

“C-coffee. Black.”

 

The barista’s smile didn’t falter. “For here or to go?”

 

“To go. Please.”

 

“Have a seat. I’ll bring it out to you.”

 

Nico complied, his legs unsteady as jelly. The coffee came in a nondescript paper cup with a letter ‘E’ stamped on it. Their fingers brushed cliche meet cutely when Nico reached out for it. He wanted to sink into the floor. The barista must have been used to people falling for him at first sight, because he ignored it. Instead, he held out a small bag. “Raspberry scones,” he explained. “I like to treat new customers to a pastry.”

 

“Thanks,” Nico managed.

 

“Come back soon.”

 

Nico punched the crossing signal button, determined not to.

 

* * *

 

He was able to resist almost a whole week.

 

“Hey, welcome back!” the same barista from before greeted him. “Black coffee?”

 

“Yes. Thanks.”

 

While his drink was being made, he glanced over, surreptitious. He’d been taken in by the other’s eyes, but there was a lot more that attracted him. Dark hair, a swimmer’s build. Nico sank lower in his chair, mentally chastising himself. He didn’t even know the guy’s name.

 

 **_BOB_ ** , read the name tag in less than obvious capitals.

 

Something in Nico’s expression must have given it away because the barista glanced down and scowled, cursing under his breath. “ _Anna_ beth!” he called out.

 

“It was Rachel!” a voice from the kitchen called back, filled with laughter.

 

Not Bob rolled his eyes and shrugged apologetically at Nico before heading back to the counter to attend to another customer. A blonde girl with dangling silver earrings came to join him, sliding a tray of fresh pastries into the case. They elbowed each other and whispered, smiling at each other as they started on the new orders. Nico felt his stomach tighten.

 

He dragged his feet walking to work, but was stalwart in keeping his eyes away from the warm glow of the coffee shop’s windows.

 

The coffee was good. It warmed his belly and wired his blood enough to get him through the rest of his shift. By the time he was done it was well past two in the morning. He unhooked his vespa from the pole in the parking lot and made it home without incident. Bianca was asleep. Deep, by the sound of her breathing. He smiled softly at the leftover dinner wrapped in foil for him on the counter. He wasn’t hungry. For once, he was tired, and grateful for the sleep as soon as it came.

 

He woke around noon. The apartment was cold and empty. He heated last night’s dinner for his afternoon meal and lazily flipped through the college brochures his sister had left on the table. He’d dropped out of school after their mom died and then got his GED out of spite the year before. Bianca really wanted him to go to college. There was more than enough money in the trust fund left to them, but he didn’t really see the point. He had a job. He could get another if extra income was needed.

 

Bianca was in her senior year and thinking about pursuing a master’s. Social work. She interned between classes and they loved her so much at the office there was already talk of offering her a permanent position.

 

He spent the rest of the day playing video games and determinedly not thinking about Not Bob and his girlfriend. Because she obviously was.

 

They didn’t have a coffee pot at home, so he went out of his way to stop at the gas station on his way to the morgue to get a drink. It wasn’t as good as Not Bob’s at Edna’s, but it would do. Plus it was cheaper since he didn’t feel compelled to dump his change into a tip jar.

 

Work was tedious as usual. He felt irritated sooner than the night before and knew that he’d need a second cup of coffee. Maybe even a pastry. His thin frame betrayed his actual appetite. The scones that first night had been good. He wasn’t even in the morgue proper, so he could eat as long as he kept his station clear. And since he was only doing data entry, he could choose his breaks as it suited him.

 

Edna’s was a lot busier than he’d seen it. He stood in line and tried hard to concentrate on the leg tattoo of the guy in front of him, but he could still hear Not Bob. Did he always work this shift?

 

“Hey, it’s you again,” he said when Nico stepped up to the counter. Tonight his name tag read ‘Percy’. “The usual?”

 

“And a pastry,” Nico added.

 

“What would you like? Can I make a recommendation?”

 

Nico shrugged, attempting apathy.

 

The pastry was a warm vanilla bean roll stuffed with dark chocolate sauce. It was so good it melted Nico’s bitterness away, and the coffee fueled the rest of his shift, but he didn’t notice the writing on the cup until he threw it away. He stared into the trash can, blinking.

 

_**Enjoy, and come back soon. - Percy** _

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I recently reread the first version of this story and realized I still liked it and wanted to do something with it, but since it's been two years, I wanted to try to improve it.


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